Gateway Scifi Media Convention

In the not to distant past...
God said there would be a con...
And Mike Nelson and Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett and special surprise guest Mary Jo Pehl would attend...

And there would be fairies, and pixies, and flying elves.
Shutup Crow.

Well, there was the quasi dramatic entrance. If you haven't already figured it out (and if you haven't you need help) I went to Gateway.

In between sleep, and gazing at my new "Dish 500" box, so I can see every line on Peter Jennings face, I have typed up my Con Log.

July 14, 2000

Plane took off and arrived on time, despite forewarnings in Dave Barry's column.

Got to the con, and immediately saw the MSTIE'S ANONYMOUS POOBAH. I don't know his name, and I don't think anyone else does either. He forced one of his brochures upon me.
We scavenged the hotel and the elevator, and sat in it for about 5 minutes while it found its way to the second floor. Our room was right next to the elevator, so we used the goofy punch cards and got in. When they started letting us get our name badges, I got in line and got mine and my Dad's badge.
I reassembled Servo from his home in my suitcase, where he was stored in 3 pieces. The only damage he sustained was a small missing chunk of white paint on the back of the flashlight shoulder.

I milled around with Servo and MSTIE'S ANON'S Servo, and Ken Hayes's Servo and waited for open riffing to start. We got to sing some songs, and had a bunch of pictures taken of us. Mike, Kevin, and Bill walked by, and Kevin, gesturing towards the Servo's exclaimed, "What the hell are those?"

Open riffing was Mitchell, unmistied, and uncut. I am permanently damaged. When the con opened, Kevin, Mike, and Bill were introduced.

Bill has lost weight, and Kevin's more gray. Well, there was a mystery guest, and I had word it was MST related. I figured it was Paul.
It was MARY JO PEHL! Mary Jo showed up. This is great.

MST and Mary Jo got a standing ovation. The other guests were just clapping and cheers. They musta felt kinda lousy. Saw Mike, Kevin, Bill, and Mary Jo milling around after the opening, waiting for a cab for dinner. Bill gestured towards my Servo, and Kevin glanced over and said, "Oh no, one of those things from my past." Or something to that effect. Bill complimented me with, "Nice Servo, in fact, nicer than the ones we had." I ran back to my room, and got my books. By the time I got back, their cab was there and I only had time to get Mary Jo to sign my ACE:G. I got into a nice conversation with Average Joe and some other ratmmers after they left.
Around 9:30 my Dad and I went down to find a ride to XMEN, we did, and went. These to guys we rode with. They have no lives, they must go to all scifi cons ever held. They can't have jobs, there is no way. They were arguing about whose scifi fan groups had bigger problems.
Oh, and XMEN started with the title "In the not to distant future." which got uproarus laughter.

July 15, 2000 Gateway, Day 2

Ate breakfast and was part of the satellite news chat. Got the full hour on tape and found out a bunch of previously unknown interesting facts.

The main cast of MST, minus Patrick Brantseg

Taped the "Boys of MST3K" although it should have been called "The Boys And Mary Jo Of MST3K" I was holding the camera so I'm sure it has a blair witch effect to it. They called up all us bot builders so I went up on stage, completely forgetting I was holding my video camera. There were 3 Servo's, mine, MSTIE'S Anon's , and Ken Hayes's Servo, who at that time I was calling the balding guy, cause I didn't know his name.

Well, Kevin took his Servo and riffed on his head with "Hey! It's Mars!" Some girl had an anatomically way of Crow, but it was the only Crow at the con, so she gets credit. A guy also had the SOL model kit, of which Mike was revolted of his resemblance to the kit's Mike. Kevin talked about my Servo's bladders (I was the only one there with the arm bladders intact) and we all had a real great time.

Got everyone to autograph my Season 8 poster afterwards. (Kevin even signed "Bobo" with his left hand.) I got everyone to sign my ACE:G (including Bill who noted he was a "non-author.") And I discovered Bill is left handed! (I am as well.)

I had Mike sign his book and Kevin sign Tom. I got some blank paper and had them all write stuff to my friend Paul, who had other better things to do than visit the coolest convention in the world. By this point I had been through the line about 6 times, and I think Mary Jo thought I was stalking her by the end.
I went to the Satellite News courtesy suite and watched "The Last Dance: RAW" Very cool.

Servo's string broke after it ended so I headed up to the floor below the Sat News suite to Ken Haye's room. (The hotel is really built this way.) We managed to resurrect him with a computer repair kit and a pair of nail clippers.

Went back and was escorted off by RATMM's own Jungle Goddess to the RATMM room, where I was welcomed by all. Just a note, for you people who think RATMM is scary, the homegamers are worse. This meeting brought on the soon to be famous line "I met someone in Tacoma, Washington. Go in peace and serve the lord." You really missed out if you weren't there.

Went down for dinner and there was a line so me and my Dad went to the bar for a drink (a soda for me) and low and behold, Mike, Kevin, Bill, and Mary Jo were waiting for a table as well.
Some drunken guy had no clue who they were which didn't bother them, they played along and Bill said he was here for Claudia Christian.
I watched part of the masquerade. Only 21 total entries! Since the MST folk were the main part of the judges, nothing MST won. I think they realized it would be biased if they did.

I watched a bit of Mysterious Theater 337. Ok, not that great so I went to the RATMM room.
It was drunk and Average Joe was itching to see the dance, so we went down. About 20 people sitting and 4 becostumed weirdos actually dancing, so we went to the Sampo suite and watched Shorts 3: Mr. B's Lost Shorts! Weeeeeeee!
Oh yea, bought a floralier, extra tray, and stack for $15. Now I have to build Crow.

July 16, 2000. Next Sunday A.D.

Got up at 8:30 AM, again. Ate breakfast at the hotel restaurant and went upstairs with my dad to watch the majority of K10: Cosmic Princess. Of you have not seen this ep, you must. It contains, to the best of my knowledge, the very first Tom Servo head falling off bit, of which Joel didn't seem too thrilled. Josh played right along and tripped over things. Also, the pumpkin guy in the theater. Classic.
Ate lunch with my Dad and Ken Hayes. His email is brainguy921@yahoo.com, to which Bill questioned, "So there are 900 brain guy's running around on yahoo?" No, apparently it's the radio station he D.J.'s for in Texas.

Went up to 3303 (The Satellite News Suite) and watched part of the movie, an episode of "What's My Line" with Ross Allen "Oh my boyfriend sure knows his stuff." and Shorts 2. Why don't they look?
Went back downstairs around 2:30 and had everyone sign the Con book. Mary Jo remembered me, and I think she must be really scared by now.

Sat in on the 3:00 "Boy's Of MST3K and Mary Jo" panel. All Q&A, with Kevin running around giving Timmy Big Hands hats to people he liked. Servo was in my suitcase as checkout was at 11 AM and Ken had his put away, so only MSTIE'S ANON had his out.

Joey Riley, has every Crow part but and 'e' pin

Saw the closing, went to the airport, and ran into Joey Riley, a fellow bot builder about my age who was at the con as well. Boarded the plane, got some lame pretzels half way through the flight, and listened to Clowns in the Sky. (And I listen to the last track too.)
Well, that's all folks.

Toolmaster Jef Zehnder
#95033
Typed Up July 19, 2000

More Pictures!

	This was taken Saturday evening by Joey. I'm going to have this enlarged and framed.
	A wonderful picture of Mike, with Bill in the far right and my Servo blocking Kevin. Taken Saturday afternoon.
	Can you find Waldo?
	Kevin Murphy having a little too much fun with my Servo. To quote Bill, "That's the dignity of Kevin Murphy folks."
	A regular to the Saturday chat, it MST3KPaul. Formerly ScifiPaul, but when Scifi cancelled the show, for some reason that changed.
	This photograph is here mainly for the goofy looking bald guy in the background. He won a nanite in the ebay auction and at that time was having Bill sign it. His face kinda reminded me of the character of Ned.

Go Home

Mystery Science Theater 3000, and its characters therein, are Š1989 - 2000 Best Brains Inc.
All pictures minus Servo picture number 1 at the way top of the page taken by me, on an assortment of 3 cameras.
If you want to use the pics, just tell me, I like to know my photographs are that good.